PokeVenture 2
by varsaigen
Summary: Vigil, a Venonat owned by the excavation team in the Ruins of Alph, becomes trapped in the ancient ruins. The Unown that inhabit the place have been driven mad, and attack trespassers. In addition, ghosts have appeared. How will Vigil escape the ruins?
1. Round 1: Excavation of the Ruins

"Well, that's all for today. Let's get everything packed up and head back to the lab." An aged gentleman called. Words of confirmation could be heard around the room.

It took twenty minutes for the team of archeologists to pack up their gear and hike out of the ruins. Twenty minutes of stone walls and brick tiles. Twenty minutes of eyes lining the wall, watching as they passed. The eyes would never blink, never move. They were carvings in the Ruins of Alph.

Back at the lab, the project head sat at a desk with his computer. He was going through the pictures they had taken that day, while viewing readouts from their scans. He sighed as he rubbed his eyes, and glanced at the time. The office was quiet. He was one of the few still awake in the lab. Everyone else had returned to their hotels in Violet City.

A knock sounded at the door to his office. He looked up, "Ah. Hello Jeremy. What can I do for you?"

The man stepped in, "I was wondering if we will be working the same hours tomorrow, sir. With all the tourists that will be arriving, it could slow down our work."

The older man thought for a second, "I think that we could perhaps get some work done early morning, before the crowds arrive, and perhaps later in the day, before closing time. That way, we can avoid the majority of the crowds, and still get some work done. So about seven till ten in the morning, and perhaps five till seven in the afternoon."

"I'll message everyone the new times. Thank you, Director. I'll see you tomorrow, sir." Jeremy turned to leave.

"Actually, Jeremy," The younger man turned, "I won't be joining you in the chamber tomorrow. You see, my daughter, Sarah, is in town this week, and I'd like to see her again. So you can expect me early in the morning, but I won't be cataloguing the ruins with you."

"Ah. I understand. Have fun with your daughter. Good night Director."

"Good night."

Jeremy departed, closing the building door behind him as he set down the path towards the guard house. The director leaned back, sighing as he closed his eyes for a moment. He reached across his desk and picked up a small picture frame. A girl, about ten years old when the picture was taken, and her absol were centered in the shot. The man smiled, "I look forward to seeing how much you and Solomon have grown, Sarah."


	2. Round 1: Descent into Darkness

Crowds of people walked across the grounds, entering and exiting the ruins. The research team ignored them to the best extent they could. Still, the occasional passerby would stop, and watch them set up.

They had brought out a red and white ball, and pressed a button. It snapped open, unleashing a shimmer of white light that leapt out from within.

The light took shape, materializing into a small, flea-like insect. A layer of purple fur covered its frail body, accenting its large, red eyes. Two long, white antennae stood out of the fur, waving in the gentle breeze.

The insect twitched, analyzing its surroundings while remaining still. Once calm, it brought two of its sandy legs, ones that acted like arms, and began working its fur, cleaning itself.

"Vigil," A man spoke. The insect froze, and turned around, "We're about to head into the ruins. While there's nothing there, remain alert, ok? Just in case something happens." The venonat chittered its response.

The man turned to the other archeologists as they discussed what they were going to do that day. The venonat waited patiently, as it returned to cleaning itself.

Something caught Vigil's attention. Something within the ruins entrance. The insect ceased its cleaning, and stared into the darkness of the tunnel. There was a presence, something watched him, and he could feel its gaze upon him. But there was nothing but the bleak gray walls of stone.

Vigil glanced at the researchers, and back to the tunnel. With a swift movement, the venonat slipped into the tunnel, and into the darkness of the ruins.

He scuttered over stones and dirt as he chased something in the darkness, something he couldn't see. Soon, due to his quick pace, he entered the chamber they had been studying. He looked around, searching for the invisible eyes that watched him so closely.

His antennae twitched, his gaze darting about. A faint whisper, a chant, was emanating from the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. It was the faintest whisper, but was almost booming in his mind. The words, if they were words at all, made no sense, and fluctuated between high pitched notes, to a buzz.

His antennae twitched horribly. Something was happening in the ruins. Vigil bounded from the room. He had to warn his masters.

A thundering boom sounded down the hallway, plunging the far end of the tunnel into darkness. The venonat stopped, raising its body up, staring ahead.

The entrance was shut. The sound was of a stone door crashing down on stone. He was trapped within the ruins, separated from the research team.

Behind him, stone slid open, causing the insect to turn around quickly. The hallway was opening into various doors. He watched as doors opened up along the length of the hallway. A ghostly azure light shone from within as each door slid into an open position. A shudder ran down the venonat's carapace as the light ceased with a ghostly howl.

Vigil needed a way out, and one of the new doorways was bound to lead to an escape. There was nothing in the ruins that could pose a threat to him. He only had the chilling feeling of eyes behind him, watching him as he set down a passage. He knew naught what they were, but even with their presence, he was alone. Somehow, he would escape. He needed only to find it.


	3. Round 2: A Shadowy Presence

Vigil scuttered over a section of debris, the remains of a wall. The hallway continued, but through the gaping hole in the wall, he could see a large chamber. It was deserted, and crumbled rocks lined the walls. Three open passageways were visible from his perch. In the middle stood a massive fountain, reaching beyond the height of any of the chambers he had been in. The fountain was surrounded by four, tall pillars. However, the middle of one had collapsed, leaving the top and bottom to decorate where it used to be. The roof at the top of the pillar had buckled. On each wall was a hallway. The bases of each hallway were wider than the ceiling, forming an unusual pattern that favored shorter creatures, and burdened larger ones.

Carefully, Vigil climbed through the hole, and entered the room. As he touched the floor, a slight breeze shifted his fur. He turned around. He was at the mouth of a fourth hallway. He took a step towards it, but stopped. Somewhere down the hallway, he could hear breathing. But it was beyond anything he had heard before. It could best be described as a long sigh, changing in volume with each repetition.

Vigil backed up, skittering for the fountain. Reaching it, he climbed in, and crouched under the rim. A shadow emerged from the hallway. It was a strange shape, black, with eerie white eyes. It veered towards the hallway on his left.

A light metallic sound echoed through the chamber. The ghost whipped around, emitting a guttural growl that sounded more like it was wheezing. Vigil watched as it headed that direction to investigate the source.

Unfortunately, at that time, someone entered the room from the hallway it was headed towards. The subject in question was a Pikachu, if Vigil remembered correctly, and was kicking an empty can across the floor. Only when the ghost was upon it did it look up. Its ears dropped, and it turned tail and fled. The ghost pursued, and their sounds faded off into the distance.

The room was silent now. Vigil remained huddled in the fountain, quickly checking his surroundings with his hundred eyes. So there were others trapped within the ruins. It wasn't just him. But the ghostly creature was unlike any creature he had seen.

Once Vigil was sure the being was gone, he raised his head and climbed out. A cracking noise caught his attention, and he watched as a piece of stone dropped from the buckled section of the ceiling. A brick fell, leading to the top of the pillar crashing down onto the floor. Sunlight streamed in, and illuminated the fountain in a white light.

Vigil basked in the light for a moment, but knew he would have to move on. The sound likely had caught the phantom's attention, and it would be returning soon. So with great haste, Vigil bounded into the furthest hall, and back into the darkness.


	4. Round 2: Strange Encounters

Vigil bounded down the hallway, and stopped at the far end. A new hallway stretched left to right. He listened intently, his antennae twitching lightly. There was a slight breeze coming from the right. Without hesitation, he skittered in that direction.

He came to a bend. Rubble was piled in areas. This section was severely damaged, and was in danger of caving in the next few years. He climbed around the debris, and paused. Somewhere ahead, he could hear a sort of gasping. It wasn't a sound that the ghost would make, and he decided to seek it out.

He navigated through the rubble of the hall, until he came upon a large pile caused by the collapse of a section of wall. In a corner lay the Pikachu, curled around herself, pressing her body close to the wall to minimize exposure. She was panting heavily, and appeared to be scared.

Vigil thought for a moment. If he spoke now, while he was practically beside her, he would undoubtedly scare her to death. He would have to be careful in introducing himself. He did not want her to perceive him as a threat.

So he carefully made his way back down the crumbling hallway, and began noisily making his way back towards her, only to pass her, picking up a few pebbles and analyzing them before dropping them. He paused, listening. She was holding her breath, and thus, had noticed his noise. He turned around to face her, and took a good look at her. She could see him now, and sat there, wide-eyed as she tried to slow her breathing to try not to be detected.

He took a few steps towards her, and paused, and took another few steps, "The ghost isn't here anymore." He said quickly, glancing down the hallway and listening for its ominous sighs.

She took at him, "Stay back." She picked up a rock. Vigil pulled back, "Who are you?" She inquired.

The Venonat twitched, checking the hallway again, "Vigil. You are trapped here, yes?" The Pikachu nodded. "What is your name?"

"Sarah." She took a step away from the wall. "Do you know a way out of here?"

"No. I am trapped here two. Door sealed itself before I could escape. New passages opened up. Haven't seen anyone else. Just you and the ghost."

Sarah peered around her shelter, into the darkness of the hallway, "I have to get out of here."

Vigil approached her, "Then we can find a way out together. Place your paw on my carapace. I will guide you through these deteriorating hallways." He led her away.

"How can you see? I'm blind in here!"

"I am a Venonat. We can see in dark places. Very nocturnal." He stepped over a stone. "Rock." He warned. Sarah still hit it with her foot and flinched.

"Here's another passageway." He turned right, and guided her down it. "This one is clear. Well maintained. Very sound." He noted, looking at the lack of debris. They came upon another passage, and turned left.

"Look! Light!" Sarah released the fur on Vigil's carapace, and the two walked towards the light.

They entered a room of similar size as the one with the fountain. However, the roof was split open, and sunlight streamed into it. Fallen pillars were strewn about the place, and the roof had all but crumbled away, leaving the massive walls of stone above where the roof had been.

The room was silent, and Vigil made for the center. There, he stopped, raised himself, and listened, feeling the air, the sounds. He chirped, and ran towards Sarah, signaling for her to follow as he ducked behind a fallen pillar.

On the far side of the room, a crack appeared. It bulged outwards a few inches at a time until parts of the wall fell apart. A large anteater-like creature leapt through, spinning around to unleash a massive burst of fire into the tunnel. As the flames subsided, he darted for a passageway between the pillar and the new tunnel.

Behind him emerged a swarm of black shapes, their single eyes burning a fierce red. They burst from the tunnel in great numbers, and spread into the air, slinging rocks towards their prey. Then they promptly gave chase, piling into the hallway after it.

Vigil waited until their sounds faded, and emerged from his cover. He peered down the hallway the things had raced down, and saw no red lights. They were clear. He skittered towards the tunnel the fire creature had made, and motioned Sarah to follow. "They might not be in this direction. I would rather not follow them, nor head back towards the ghost." Sarah nodded, and ran to catch up.

Once more, she placed a paw on his carapace as he guided her through the rocky tunnel. Once more they descended into darkness.


	5. Round 3: Discovery of the Swarm

The pair walked carefully down the hallway. They had emerged from the hastily made tunnel just minutes before, and their light from that cavern was fading with every step. The hallway was more varied this time. The engraved letters decorated the walls, and old braziers were perched up high on the walls. This area was well maintained.

Probably the only problem in navigating these halls now, were the number of cross passages and alcoves lining the walls. Many of the passages led on for a few yards before turning off to the left or right. The tiles of the floor were evenly spaced, and organized in perfect squares. If the braziers were lit, one would hardly be able to tell that these were ruins at all.

Vigil glanced back at his companion, the Pikachu he had discovered just a while ago. She was nervous, and constantly looking around in the dim light for any more of those letters or ghosts. But the hall was quiet, empty. But that didn't keep her from grabbing a paw-full of Vigil's thin carapace fur.

Vigil paused for a moment, and listened. Off in the distance was the sound of water dripping. He could feel Sarah's grip tighten as she began to hear it as well. He nodded forwards, and began to lead her towards the sound.

As they approached one of the many intersections, Vigil glanced down both passages. The one to his right was beginning to flood. Vigil led Sarah to the water's edge and chittered his frustration. Vigil did not like water. "Follow me." He requested, climbing up onto a rock, and bounding from rock to rock. "The water isn't that deep. I just don't like getting wet." He waited for her to catch up before heading further down the flooded passage.

A cool mist welcomed them as they entered into a vast underground lake. A waterfall cascaded nearby, dropping from the surface above. A series of natural pillars lined the shore as it stretched into the sunlit lake. The air was cool, and fresh, and Sarah gave a sigh of relief. Vigil glanced at her, and noted her stare towards the waterfall. He skittered towards the water's edge, and glanced at his reflection before scooping up a small handful of water and bringing it up to his mandibles. "Come. Drink. You need water." He requested quietly, waving Sarah over. She broke her gaze from the remarkable cavern, and took her place beside Vigil as she began to drink.

Vigil finished quickly, and started applying water to his fur in small quantities, cleaning the dust and mud until his fur shone a vibrant dark purple. Sarah looked at him, and he exchanged a glance as she held some water in her paws. He nodded his understanding, and walked off into the cavern. He would let her clean her fur in peace. Vigil, in the meantime, would seek out something to eat.

The lake shore was damp, and the rocks were often coated in some form of moss. The thick, green vegetation would be a good source of food for Vigil, containing a myriad of tiny insects. But he guessed that Sarah would require something of more flavor than the measly bugs Vigil enjoyed.

A quick bound up the rocks and a view of the cavern revealed a lack of any such sustenance. He returned quickly to the shore, and peered under the rocks. Off to the side, Sarah emerged, padding over to him quietly.

"There is nothing to eat, I'm afraid. Just insects." He clasped down on one and brought it into the light. A beetle of average size. It's back was black with a yellow stripe down its wing covers. Vigil crunched down on its body with his mandibles, watching as Sarah turned her head in disgust.

Sarah's ear perked up for a moment, and she trotted to a shallow rock, slipping a peek over its top. Vigil approached, and peered around to see what it was that Sarah heard.

There, just a few yards away, stood a tall, powerful cat. Black fur covered much of its body, and accented a blue mask and trimming on the legs, face, and ears. A yellow star decorated its tail as it delicately drank the water, barely sending any ripples at all.

"A Luxray?" Sarah inquired. The giant cat's ears perked and it snapped its head towards their rock. As quickly as it had snapped its gaze towards them, Vigil and Sarah spun around, coming face to face with a pair of luxrays. Vigil prepared to bound out of the scene at the first sign of hostilities. Sarah, however, was cornered, and flattened herself against the rock.

"I see we have a couple of spies. What do you two think you were doing watching me?" The lioness inquired. Her yellow and red eyes dug into them, and Vigil instinctively bounded away from the luxray in his face.

"I apologize for the intrusion. We were merely seeking food and water when my companion overheard you, and sought out to discover its source." One of the luxrays leapt at him. He bounded out of its reach. "If you like, we will be leaving."

The lioness watched him as she pondered for a moment. The other luxray leapt at him again, to which he dodged once more.

"I think not. I don't need to have the Unown discover my position. I've already encountered one idiot who lured them straight to me." She stepped towards Sarah. "Besides, I'm hungry."

Sarah squeaked her surprise as she whipped around to watch the lioness stepping towards her, her muscles tense and ready to pounce or run. Vigil bounded off of a rock, dodging the other luxray once more, and stopped in the way of the lioness. His body tensed, and his eyes flickered wildly, giving off a noticeable flash. The lioness reared back, trying to cover her eyes from the light as she pulled back, falling onto the sandy beach.

The luxray chasing Vigil had leapt at him as his epilepsy-inducing lights flickered on. But as its jaws reached the frail insect, the lion faded away, passing through as Vigil reeled from the attack. The flickering halted to a stop as Vigil glanced around quickly. The two lions were gone. His antennae twitched, and he and Sarah peered over the rock once more, watching the lioness clasping her paws over her blinded eyes.

Sarah crouched beside Vigil, her foreleg brushing against his carapace, "What did you do?"

"I blinded her. I wasn't going to let her eat you, and I thought I could buy you enough time to run away." He glanced behind him at the open beach.

"Will she be ok?"

"In time. The effect is temporary. But now, we should go." Vigil leapt off the rock and back towards the hallway they came from. Sarah sprinted after him.

Once in the hallway, they continued through the darkness. Sarah's paw rested lightly on Vigil's back. She probably felt secure, knowing that Vigil could blind whatever they came across.

The hallway began to slant downwards, descending to another level. This hallway branched off into corridors on either side. At the end of this hallway, another ramp descended, and bent around to run the opposite direction. The decorations were becoming more elaborate, and contained less of the lettered panels.

The hallways became more spacious, having widened, and the braziers were now built into the ground. None of the braziers would be lit as long as humans never entered the area, and it was unlikely that any fire pokemon would want to light the braziers as to alert the Unown to their location, or areas that those trapped had passed through.

"You will pay for that!" a low voice called from behind them, or rather, a level above them. The luxray had recovered, and had set out after them. She had to be tracking their scent. Vigil jumped with surprise, and hurriedly skittered down the hall, mouse companion in tow.

Hallway after hallway they fled, with the loud clatter of claws behind them. Vigil began to scour the walls for a way out. There had to be a hallway, a crack, anything that the lioness could not chase them through. Up ahead, halfway up the wall stood a circular hole. It was just large enough to fit Sarah into! Vigil veered off, and leapt up to the pipe. Quickly squeezing in, he turned around to beckon Sarah up.

The mouse, panicking between losing the Venonat, and at the sounds of the approaching lioness, caught Vigil's movements, and leapt up to the pipe, barely catching hold with her paws.

The lioness was closing in, and Vigil needed Sarah to escape into the pipe. Grabbing hold of her with his frail arms, she steadied her until she pulled herself into the pipe. He lacked the muscles to pull her in himself, and thus, guided her deeper into the tunnel until the sounds of scraping at the tunnel's entrance could be heard.

Attempts at electrifying them failed as the bolts were absorbed into the pipe. Sarah panted, her heart racing from the sudden escape. Vigil tugged her arm. "This way." He proceeded down the tunnel, the Pikachu crawling through behind him.

Turn after turn, the duo crawled through what Vigil guessed to be a ventilation shaft. The surface of the pipes were surprisingly smooth, and lacked the grime and plants that the rest of the ruins displayed. The stonework had barely aged at all.

"Stop." Vigil directed. "Stay here." He pressed on Sarah's paw as he turned down one of the pipes.

Sarah remained in the dark. Her legs and arms pressed into her sides, and her neck was sore from the shallow space. The pipe was a tight fit, and barely navigable. She had lowered her goggles to hang around her neck instead of scratching them against the roof of the pipe, and for fear of having them slide off her head. She didn't want to lose them.

She was hungry though, and tired. She yearned for another of those energy drinks, and could imagine the full cans she was forced to abandon when she was sealed in the ruins. She could have used the energy by now.

The clatter of carapace on stone alerted her of the insect's return. "Vigil?" She asked. The insect appeared at the bend of the pipe and tapped her paw, signaling her to follow.

Carefully, the pair moved through the pipe. Over Vigil's body, she could see light. The end of the pipe! It would be a welcome change of pace. Vigil paused at the end, and glanced around. With a nod, he bounded out, and onto a clear patch of tiling. Sarah followed suit, and landed with an ungraceful plop. She rose, rubbing her back as she stretched.

They were in a large room. Some of the walls were layered in brick. Others were formed of natural cliff. A multitude of pillars decorated the room, and a large circular arrangement of tiles decorated the middle. One hallway was nearest them, on their left. Another was on the opposite side of the room. But what caught their attention most was the rocky cliff just feet from them on the right. Water trickled down its surface, creating a series of rough edges, and areas of smooth cuts. Moss and vines climbed down through the ceiling, where sunlight streamed in. The wall itself rivaled that of the lake, and possibly led up to it. Or perhaps it led to another oasis in this dry, barren ruin. Perhaps it led outside.

Vigil studied the cliff and looked back to Sarah. "I think we could climb this surface. There are plenty of potential handholds for you to use, and we should be able to fit through the gap between the cliff and the ceiling."

Sarah hesitated, glancing at Vigil, and then to the cliff. She nodded briefly, and approached. Setting one paw on one of the edges, she sought a foothold as she began her ascent up towards possible escape. Vigil took a careful look around the room, and began to follow her up. Climbing was easy for him. Sarah frowned. Vigil had six legs, and a pair of hand-like arms that allowed him to scale the cliff with no difficulty. If he evolved, he would be a large moth, capable of carrying her out.

Her focus was broken as her paw slipped off the handhold. She scrambled for a new handhold but met only air.

The crack of bone against rock alerted Sarah to her meeting the base of the cliff. A cry of pain escaped her, echoing off the walls around them. Vigil scampered down the rock face to Sarah's side. He frantically looked her over. Rolling her over, he studied the bruising on her back, and on her head and chittered to himself as he looked around.

Scaling the cliff turned out to be a bad idea. The rocks were too slippery for Sarah to maintain a grip. They would have to proceed down the tunnels, and find another way out.

"Can you stand? Walk?" He inquired, rolling her back over to face the ceiling.

"Yes… Maybe." She croaked through tears and a slight whimper. Vigil stepped around behind her head, and gently eased her up, supporting her back until she was in a standing position. Coming around to her side, he placed himself under her weight.

"Let's get you to the cliff. There is water for you, and you can rest." He slowly inched back to the cliff face as she leaned on him. Once at the cliff, he eased her down to it.

His antennae were twitching, and a bad feeling was growing inside him. In the distance, the faint sound of strange, alien cries could be heard. Vigil had no way of describing the sound. But as it grew louder, the distinct noise of buzzing became evident. It sounded like a swarm of wasps approaching. And visually, he could compare it to nothing other than that of a massive wave of water.

The black letters flooded into the room, spreading out into the air. Their red eyes burned fiercely as they began to scour the room. It took only a few seconds for them to find the insect and mouse cornered against the cliff. They emitted a cry that sounded distinctly like that of an angry animal. The buzzing grew louder and their eyes burned brighter. The air seemed to ripple. Vigil sprung into action, raising a green shield to protect himself and Sarah as the letters began to fire red lasers.

The beams connected with the shield, but dissipated quickly. The shield remained strong, and Vigil was fully focused on its maintenance. He was determined. The air beyond the shield buzzed with the numbers of the swarm. The water of the cliff began to run down the shield, and evaporated when a beam connected with it.

Vigil knew he could not keep the barrier up forever, and would have to save Sarah quickly. The swarm maintained its assault, and Vigil prepared to counter them. He sprinted forwards a few feet, and stared the swarm down. They shifted their aim. His eyes began to flash.

The bright flashes lit up the room. The red glows of the swarm paled in comparison as the swarm shrieked. The flashing ceased, and Vigil paused for a moment, studying the swarm. They were blinded, and those that weren't, were confused.

Vigil approached Sarah. "We need to get you out of here." She fell atop his carapace, bringing him crashing to the floor with surprise. Carefully, he trudged towards the far hallway that the Unown had arrived from.

The swarm rippled like a wave of water, and stared at the cliff in a daze, chirping in agony as they weaved back and forth. Vigil stumbled into the towering corridor. He had to get them both out of there before the swarm recovered.

The sound of claws clicking together caught his attention. Up on a ledge, the lioness lay, "clapping" as she watched the pair. "That was impressive, halting the swarm like that." She grinned mischievously. "I think I could find a use for you after all."

"Give me the rat." She demanded.

"I won't let you eat her." Vigil retorted.

"Oh I have no intention of eating her. She can be your incentive in assisting me. I will carry her, and get a load off your back." She extended a paw down to the venonat.

Vigil looked back at the swarm, and then to the lioness. He chittered to himself, and hefted the injured mouse up to the lioness. The lioness nimbly grabbed the mouse and raised her to the alcove.

"She injured herself from a fall. Hit her spine." Vigil informed, leaping onto the platform. "Be careful with her." He warned. The lioness placed Sarah upon her back and stood up, giving the swarm a final glance before turning about and heading down the alcove tunnel.


	6. Round 3: What Once Was Lost

The lioness walked slowly through the hallway, seemingly content with herself. Vigil scuttered beside her, and gave an occasional glance to the injured Sarah, who lay face down across the lioness' back.

He looked forwards once more, down the length of the hallway. This section of the ruins seemed endless, with no variation, no intersections, and no noise but the sounds of their own feet echoing off the walls.

A band of letters decorated the wall, stretching forwards and backwards down the length of the hallway. They were random sequences, with no particular meaning, but looked endless. Vigil glanced behind them. The spot where he had escaped the Unown swarm was in that direction, but was so far away that he could not see it. How long had they been walking down this corridor?

"Name?" Vigil chirped inquisitively, glancing up at the lioness as she sauntered onwards.

She gave him a glance before replying. "Abbey. Don't bother with giving me your name, nor the mouse's. We won't be together that long." Vigil twitched his mandibles. Had he ever met someone so cold in his life? No one came to mind.

A quiet groan caught their attention, and both looked back to the awakening Sarah, who was just opening her eyes.

"Vigil?" She inquired. Abbey returned her gaze to the path before them.

"Sarah." He responded, "Feeling better?"

"Kind of. Are we…" She felt around. "Moving?"

"We are. The lioness I blinded earlier has agreed to help us." He glanced to Abbey.

"No I haven't. You are injured, and your safety makes you the perfect incentive for you bug here to assist me where I require it." She clarified. "When my objective is done, then we will see what will become of you."

Sarah squeaked quietly at the thought of being the lioness' food once she got what she wanted. Her eyes darted around the dark hallway for a moment, before she closed them and calmed herself.

When she decided she was sufficiently calmed enough, she looked towards the ground. "Why is it so dark?

Vigil glanced at her, stepping closer to the lioness. "Light barely manages to penetrate the ruins this deeply. Even I am nearly blind in this low light setting."

"He's my eyes for now. I can't see a thing either. Bug, what is that up ahead?" She nodded ahead of them, where the passageway seemed to end. Vigil bounded forwards to investigate.

"Stop." He ordered. "Long drop. Narrow chasm."

"I see it. What's that light in the distance?" Abbey inquired, peering far to the left, down the length of the chasm.

The chasm towered high above them, and fell far beneath them. Light, off in the distance, made the fog glow a brilliant glow that faded to white the further away the fog rolled. A gentle breeze ran between the rock faces.

"I don't know. But that light is illuminating the rest of the chasm." Vigil glanced downwards.

"A light?" Sarah asked, attempting to turn herself around to see it.

"Stop squirming or you will fall off." Abbey ordered, readjusted the mouse with a quick shake.

They studied the cliffs, and the light. Straight ahead, the tunnel continued. It looked like it had been ripped off of the rest of the ruins passageway.

"We're going to jump." Abbey concluded. "Hold on."

"What?" her passenger inquired, shooting her a serious look.

"I told you to tighten your grip! Because I am jumping now!" Abbey informed, leaping from the edge of the gap. Vigil watched with surprise as they soared across the abyss to land on the other side.

Taking a few steps back, Vigil moved upwind of the hallway. He knew his light body would easily be blown away, and wanted to make the most he could of his position. His antennae twitched with the wind, feeling its coursing nature. The wind came in gusts, short bursts that would send him flying to the bottom of the chasm.

With bounding leaps, he flew into the air. His was airborne, with no ground to grip. This was it, his leap of faith. He would make it to the other side, or be blown to his death. His antennae twitched. A feeling of dread grew inside him as he looked to his left.

He felt his carapace smash against rock as he bounced off. He remained motionless, falling, spinning downward with incredible speed.

He landed. A moment later, he twitched, glancing around before righting himself. He felt the cold, smooth brick. He spun around, looking at the chasm. He had made it. He had cleared the jump. A feeling of relief coursed through him as the tension shed from him.

"Vigil!" A voice called him. He turned, and found Abbey walking down the severed corridor. Sarah lay on the lioness' back, waving him over. He bounded over.

"Vigil! You made it!" Sarah looked at him with relief.

He nodded. He had. He had cheated death.

The hallway broke into an intersection a bit further ahead. A chill wind swept through as they glanced down both directions. Each path was short, and the trio noticed the paths were roofless. A few cautious steps down the path to the left revealed these not to be corridors.

The cavern was massive. Tall, sturdy pillars of stone, naturally formed held the cavern roof up. Around them stood intricately carved formations. No, these were not corridors, these weren't natural rocks or fallen pillars. This was the full, unfettered expanse of a city!

Vigil emerged from the alleyway, scanning the city. He could not comprehend the sheer size of what lay before him. Around them stood houses, the homes of people long gone and dead. And among these ancient structures stood stores, businesses, and the governing body of their civilization.

But the streets were empty. The ground they stood upon sloped downward, down towards the large body of water that had claimed the lower sections of the city. Water that was illuminated by pillars of light from the surface. And judging by the quality of the light, the sun was setting. The ambient light within the cavern was fading. They would be left in the dark, and not even Vigil's eyes would help them.

"Night approaches. We must find shelter from the cold." He waved the lioness to follow.

"Now hold on." The lioness growled. "The mouse is my bargaining chip. That means that you do what I say, not the other way around. So we will continue to move until I say so."

Vigil stared at her, his head twitching as the seconds passed. "And if you grow tired? If I grow tired and we meet the swarm? Or worse, the-"

"Or what? What could be lurking here that isn't the Unown? What could be so dangerous that it has you jumping out of your shell?"

"Carapace." Vigil corrected. He looked around the cavern before answering her question. "The ghosts."

"It's true! It's true! One chased me earlier! A little before Vigil found me!" Sarah squeaked.

"Ghosts." Abbey could not believe what she was hearing. "And just where do you see these apparitions?" She looked around.

"We have only seen one, near a ruined fountain on one of the upper levels. But I suspect there will be more when night approaches. I do not know their tolerance to sunlight."

"I'm going to go ahead and call you insane. But you won't be of any use to me if you can't see. So we will go find somewhere for us to sleep. So go, find one." Abbey shooed him away, looking up to the slowly fading sunbeams through the cavern ceiling.


	7. Round 3: Doors Best Left Closed

Vigil awoke with a start. He scanned the darkness for the disturbance that awoke him. He was in a small room of one of the houses. Vigil felt warmth behind him. Abbey lay there, with Sarah sleeping beside him.

But she was awake. "Sarah?" He inquired.

She jumped lightly, and looked towards Vigil. "What?"

"Are you ok?" he asked, taking a step towards her. She looked scared. Her eyes were wide, and she was breathing unevenly.

"I thought I heard a sound outside…" She glanced back at the open doorway, and pulled her way backwards into Abbey's side. The lioness shifted in her sleep.

Vigil nodded, and rose from his spot. He stepped into the next room and looked outside. He had a hard time seeing in the dark. But as he looked around the open street, he froze.

There, lurking outside the house was one of the shadowy beings. He could not see the burning white eyes, which meant that it was turned away. He retreated behind the doorframe and glanced about the entryway. A quick look through the house would calm his nerves, and reassure him that the ghosts could not enter the house. He hoped they could not, even if they saw the group.

When he entered into one of the bedrooms of the house, he stopped. The decorations of the room had fallen apart and crumbled to dust many years prior, leaving the room empty. Only the stone frame of a bed survived.

Vigil stared in awe at the spectacle he saw. In the middle of the room stood a large red cloud, ebbing and flowing with red energy, reaching out with cloud-like tentacles. It burned a deep red color, similar to that of blood. A small sphere of Unown spun around it every which way. Their shapes were silhouetted against the red cloud. Their eyes burned with the same intense glow that the cloud held.

Vigil retreated carefully back to the room his group was sleeping in. He nudged Abbey until she awoke. "We need to move." He urged.

"I give the orders, not you. It's still dark, which means, we will sleep as much as we can so we'll be prepared for what we will face." She glared at the insect.

"No!" Vigil chittered quietly, passing a glance at the doorway. "This house is not safe! The Unown are here! Ghosts lurk outside this house!"

Abbey's ears perked now. He had her attention. Her eyes glowed with a strange energy. "You're right. There is some sort of anomaly in one of the other rooms. But only a small number of Unown." She turned her head towards the street. "It is hard for me to tell, but I think I see three ghosts lurking outside the front door." She rose, picking up Sarah and placing the mouse on her back. "We need to move. Get on." She ordered. Vigil complied, climbing onto the lioness' back, and clutching her fur, just as Sarah did.

Abbey stretched, and spun around, crouching down as she watched the window. With a powerful movement, Abbey pounced onto the window, and quietly dropped to the ground outside.

"Finally, I can see." She commented. Indeed, the cavern was brighter than the rooms inside the houses. With quick, nimble steps, she darted into the street, away from the ghosts.

A horrid wail sounded behind them, echoing across the cavern walls. Vigil stole a look back, and prompted the lioness faster. The ghosts were quickly approaching.

Abbey surged forward with more haste, and turned a sharp corner into another street. The path sloped downward towards the water. She nimbly left upon broken statues and shallow walls, seeking dry surfaces above the water.

But the road continued further into the water, they found, and Abbey decided instead to seek the broken rooftops of the city. Climbing carefully up the cracked face of a old blacksmith's shop, she hauled herself atop, and looked around.

Red lights dotted the city streets. Vigil stared with disbelief. Sarah's eyes widened. "There's so many."

"There. Big structure to the right. Head there." Vigil pulled Abbey's fur until she saw the structure. She nodded, glancing back at the street where the ghosts were drifting up to their level.

Abbey leapt from rooftop to rooftop, making a path to the vast stepped temple in the middle of the city. The structure grew larger and larger in their field of vision as they came closer to its walls. More wailing sounded from left and right, across parts of the city. Vigil suspected the ghosts of the city had noticed them. Or maybe they had found other prey?

It did not matter so much as long as they reached the temple. And in a few moments, they would. With graceful leaps, Abbey reached the courtyard of the temple, and seemingly flew into its open doors, plunging the group into darkness.

The ghosts did not follow them. The trio was safe. Slowly, the hallway grew brighter. The sun was up, and had risen high enough to pierce into the cavern. Leaning against a wall, Abbey sought a break from their maddening adventure. Sarah and Vigil slipped off her back, with Vigil guiding the injured mouse to a wall.

They would take a moment to breathe before moving into the temple, and further into the insanity that now surrounded them.


	8. Round 4: Guardian

"This temple is a maze. When will it end?" Sarah complained, her ears and tail drooping as she lay slumped on the lioness' back. Abbey, the luxray, glanced back and continued to walk down the hallway. "Please, can we stop for a moment? My back hurts."

"There is a room we can rest in just ahead." Abbey informed, picking up the pace.

"Finally" Sarah groaned as the group pick up their pace to reach the room.

The lioness entered the room, and crouched down so Sarah could slip off. Vigil stepped into the room, studying it for an exit to the outside world.

He couldn't see one, though. The room was large, probably one of the largest he had been in. The floor was circular, with an intricate mosaic of blue and teal tiles. The walls were covered in Unown script, with barely a spot left blank.

Above them, a vaulted ceiling stood proudly, with thick beams arching through the middle. A couple pipes allowed air circulation through the room. The lack of windows left it dark, but the middle of the vaulted ceiling shone with a white light. The light from above framed the mosaic perfectly.

An exasperated sigh sounded from all around, causing the group to tense. "Did you think you could escape?" A low voice whispered from every rock and tile. "The past has returned to haunt these ruins. The city will once more be the paradise it was."

"Did you both hear that?" Sarah squeaked, curling up against the wall.

"Yeah, I'm not death." Abbey looked about. "Who are you?"

"Death is fleeting. All will be as it was." The voice was growing louder, as an Unown appeared in the floor peering up at them. The Unown began to rise out of the floor, giving view of a round, patterned body, and colorful wings. The Unown-like creature resembled a bird. The creature towered over them, causing the group to retreat back. "The past will return. All will be as it was. All will be as it was…"

Vigil crouched "It's eyes… It's the same as the Unown."

The Sigilyph flapped its wings briefly as it looked over the intruders. "Trespassers invade the city, searching, hoping, maddened with their greed. But all is inconcequential, for their findings will return the city's glory. They desecrate these grounds, but are the key to our return…"

"What is it talking about? Does he mean the others trapped in here?" Abbey inquired. "Well, fortunes or not, I'm getting what I came for."

The sigilyph interfered, however, cutting off the lioness with a beam of energy. He swung about the room, blocking the passageway. "Trespassers must not escape. The city shall punish…" It spoke.

"I don't think so! But if I have to tear you out of the air to get through, then so be it!" Abbey unleashed a bolt of electricity towards the creature, but it raised a shield to protect itself, halting the attack.

It's eye grew brighter, and burned with more red than they had ever seen from the Unown. "You shall not leave. My city demands it. You shall face justice!" It began flapping its wings, stirring the air around the room. Vigil clutched onto the mosaic for his life, hunkering down.

As the wind died down, Vigil unleashed a beam of multiple colors, which impacted the creature's shield. The shield faltered as the wind buffeted it, leaving the sigilyph open for attack.

Abbey pounced on the creature as the wind died, and electrocuted it with all her might. The creature gave out an unworldly scream of pain, and lay still.

"Finally, now I can get what I came for without this thing interfering." She stepped off of its body to look around at rooms beyond the walls. "Ah. There it is. There is a gate behind that wall. It appears to be a sealed cache, but it seems oddly empty."

"Only those of the city royalty have access to the vault." Abbey spun about. The creature was pulling itself back up, flapping its wings to bring itself airborne. "And I, as a guard of this noble city, shall not let you enter!"

A metallic ping sounded above them, like a shovel hitting another tool. From the ventilation pipes the Unown poured. The letters spiraled down the walls of the room, forming a vast dome over the sigilyph and its two combatants. The eyes of the newcomers burned crimson. Sarah, outside the dome, squeaked in fear, pulling into her section of wall as they passed.

Vigil looked around cautiously, while Abbey remained focused on her opponent. The winged creature contorted its body, seemingly stretching as it weaved back and forth. The letters circling them chirped and hummed.

The avian pulled back, and promptly charge them, raking its talons along the ground. The lioness and Vigil dodged its attack. The enemy veered about, skimming the surface of the lettered dome, and rushed them once more. Vigil was caught in its talons as he attempted to escape. The sigilyph dragged him across the ground before throwing him through the dome, and into a wall.

Vigil chittered in pain as he crashed into the floor. "Vigil!" Sarah called, crawling around the dome to his side. She gasped with horror, "You're bleeding. Part of your carapace is missing, Vigil!" She began to panic, as Vigil glanced up at her. "You can't die! Not now! You still have to help me escape the ruins! You promised!"

Vigil lay slumped against the ground. His purple blood matting his fur. "How… is she doing?" He panted.

Sarah looked through the living walls of the dome. Within, the lioness was delivering a powerful bolt of lightning to the ruin's guard. "I can't tell. I think she is winning. There are a lot of her."

The lettered avian screeched in response to the electricity, and its eye flashed. In response, the unown opened fire, unleashing a barrage of lasers towards Abbey.

"She wanted me to help her get what she wanted, and used you as incentive. You aren't safe… but I can still help her, if it's the last thing I can do." Vigil began to rise, and, getting as close to the Unown as possible, and set to disable the dome's attack. The Sigilyph had just erected a barrier, and Abbey had cast another bolt of electricity. The entire room began to flash with light. The dome trembled, as the formation weaved in and out. The blinding light was destabilizing their arena border, and the formation fell apart. The sounds of the Unown's cries of pain, mixed with that of the avian and lioness dominated the room as Vigil collapsed back down to the floor.

"Vigil!" Sarah cried out. The glow behind his eyes was fading to darkness. "No! Vigil! Stay with me! You can't die! You promised us!" The eyes darkened. Vigil was lifeless.

Sarah lay there, collapsed over the insect's body with a feeling of hopelessness. The gash had stopped bleeding, and was beginning to dry. Sarah's body felt weak, and she could hardly support herself anymore. Never did she imagine she would witness the death of anyone, or anything. She wouldn't have imagined it possible for Vigil, the one who so bravely led her through the ruins, to die.

The body twitched. Sarah looked up from her position of mourning. The carapace bulged again. She recoiled in surprise. Another bulge, and another. It was almost a sickening sight. Something was climbing out of his corpse. Sarah could only think of a parasite, some vile thing that had infested the gallant Vigil at some point.

The thing poked a leg out. It was long and thin. Another leg, and then a portion of its body. The thing, as vile as the sight was, was rushing to escape its confines. More legs, and now a head. Large, opaque eyes glanced about, with a black sore within. It's expression was through its eyes, eyes that never closed, and looked to have a look of permanent amazement at the sight of the world.

The thing pulled out of its host, and unfurled a pair of delicate wings. The creature was a light purple, as if it had been absorbing the color of its host as it lived within him. Much of the parasite was still very pale.

It sat there, perched atop the corpse of its host, twitching the base of its wings, and looking out across the room. Sarah could not take much more of the parasite's presence, and prepared her electricity, only to be interrupted by a bright light.

Covering her eyes, she peered through her paws. The parasite now fixated its gaze on her. "V-Vigil?" She inquired, lowering her paws slowly and gently approaching. "Is that… you?"

Another quick flicker as the insect gazed over the battlefield. The sigilyph, and the lioness were just recovering from their epilepsy-induced confusion. The letters, however, lay strewn about the floor, having been flung out of their formation to smack into the walls.

The wings were nearly dry, and were finally rising into the air as the insect tested them. They were massive wings, far larger than Sarah, and were patterned with a trio of large yellow dots on each large wing. The moth's fur had dried out as well, and it now displayed its full size as it stepped off the body of the Venonat.

"Strange feeling." It mumbled, adjusting its new voice.

Sarah approached it. "Vigil. It is you, right? What just happened?"

The giant moth cocked its head towards her. "I hatched."

"Hatched? So, you aren't Vigil?" She asked worriedly.

"I left my larval state. As comfortable as it was, my pupae stage was ending. My old body became too crowded." He pumped his wings.

The lioness had gotten to her feet. The sigilyph was just rising. "What is that thing?" She exclaimed with surprise. "You killed my tool! I needed that bug!"

"No, Abbey!" Sarah called out, "This is Vigil!"

The sigilyph began glancing around the room. "This interruption will not setback the return of the-" Vigil cut him off with a beam of energy from his crest.

"Battle is taking too long. Grab what you came for." The moth noted, skittering slowly towards the avian letter. The lioness glanced towards the hidden gate.


	9. Round 4: The Warmth of Summer

Abbey stepped through the threshold of the chamber. The treasure vault was lined with a series of blue lights, through which sunlight streamed in. Abbey padded into the darkness of the vault, looking closely at what treasures lay within, studying each one for some familiar feeling.

A variety of coins, chests, and rings were clumped in the corners of the room. "Come on, I know you are around here somewhere…" As she pawed at a pile, a shimmer of silver caught her eye. She made her way to it. As she uncovered it, a wave of memories surfaced. A city of stone, standing proud and tall, stood before her eyes.

"What the? Where am I? Is this…" She looked around at the bustling street. There were so many people. Had she been teleported outside? No, the clothing the people wore was far different from those of the visitors. And the buildings were intact, with monuments of art placed around the place. The grass and various plants of the city were well managed.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the crowd dispersed to the sides of the road. A palanquin, with four carriers, made their way down the street. The palanquin was a vivid red, with gold trim, and a faint blue cloth draped between the roof and steps, shielding the occupant from view.

Abbey quickly stepped off to the side to avoid being stepped on by the carriers. The drapery shifted a bit as something poked its head out. The small, cat-like creature glanced out at the crowd. It's big, blue eyes connected with Abbey's for a brief moment. Time seemed to slow, and the city around them silenced, as a sense of familiarity washed over her.

She watched as the palanquin strode past as it seemed to pick up speed, and the murmurs of people returned. The palanquin rounded a corner, and Abbey gasped in realization, yelling, "Hey, wait!" as she dashed into the street.

The palanquin passed beneath a large gateway as Abbey reached the corner. She made a mad dash towards the palanquin and slipped through the gateway as the guards began to close the gate behind her.

The tall walls of the royal quarter blocked the sounds of the city, leaving a vast open courtyard with nary a spot of green at the front.

The occupant within the palanquin began to speak. Her voice was soft and caring, yet firm. Abbey had to get closer so she could hear what was being said. "-is running out. But don't worry, my dear, you will be find without me. You have been with us for so long." The woman inside, likely the queen of the city, was petting the mew as he lay on her lap, looking up at her worriedly, "You know far more about my lineage, and of the city than anyone ever will. Just remember, even though I may die, I will always be with you. And no matter what may happen, be sure to live your life to the fullest, and be happy, even if the places you roamed are no more."

Abbey stepped up to the palanquin as it was carefully placed on the ground at the steps of the castle. Abbey took a step onto the palanquin, attempting to get a better look at the mew, but recoiled when her paw fell through the wooden step.

Around her, the city began to fade. "No! No! Don't disappear! Show me more!" She prodded the pendant again, trying to bring back the vision. When her pawing failed, she looked around. She was back in the treasure vault, surrounded by small piles of coins and rings. These were the royal belongings of the ruling family.

Slipping the pendant around her neck, the lioness emerged from the treasure vault. The room beyond hadn't changed. The Unown were still collapsed on the floor, and the Sigilyph lay defeated just before the vault's doors. Off to the side, Sarah and Vigil stood together, talking.

Abbey frowned, "Hey, you two, let's go." They looked up.

"Was it there? The thing you were looking for?" Sarah inquired, climbing on Vigil's back as he lifted into the air.

Abbey paused before answering, "Yes. It was." She began to walk back into the hallway.

"So we can go now? Vigil kept his side of the deal, and I'm still breathing."

"Yeah, do what you want. I'm finding my way out of here." Abbey's steps faltered as she stepped into a different hallway, her face hidden from them. Vigil and Sarah paused to watch her for a moment before setting down the hallway they had come from.

They pair traveled in silence as Vigil carried the mouse down familiar passages. Sarah adjusted her position on the giant moth. "Something was wrong with her. I can feel it. Something happened in the vault, Vigil."

Vigil kept his eyes on his path as he swept into the narrow passage of the crevasse. "Did not notice. She got what she came for."

"Yeah, that shiny silver pendant. She seemed to have grown attached to it very quickly. She seemed a bit emotional And that's saying a lot for a cat who was always hostile." She glanced at Vigil, catching the depths beneath them. "And here I am, trying not to look down. Vigil, don't let me fall."

"Keep a grip on me. You won't fall." The pair flew higher and higher, and soon could see a faint light in the distance. "There is the light. We are close to the passageway."

"Yeah, I see it. Just a little higher. There." Sarah tapped Vigil in the direction of the passageway. A passage on both sides loomed into the darkness. This was the spot where Vigil nearly was blown away. But now that he was a giant moth, the winds hardly affected him.

Vigil set down the passageway, with the eerie light to his left. "New eyes. I now appreciate the world around me. I can see like everything else, now." He rose up to perch on a building. Just below, only half a day before, the trio had been walking. Just half a day ago, they walked this path, with Sarah in great pain, and Vigil being forced to cooperate with the lioness' demands.

The city now lay before them. Massive beams of light shone through the cave ceiling as it illuminated the city. There was not a ghost in sight. For once, the forgotten city was serene, peaceful, empty.

"We are almost free, Vigil." Sarah commented in a calmed voice.

"Anything you needed before we leave?" Vigil inquired.

"No…" Sarah replied. "I wound up here by accident. I'm ready to leave." Vigil nodded, and took to the air.

Vigil flapped towards the massive pillars of light. The duo entered one, letting the sunlight slip across their bodies. Carefully, Vigil raised them upwards, towards the ceiling of the cave. The warmth soaked into them, as Sarah laid her head upon Vigil's back and sighed in content.

It seemed almost impossible, and joy swept over them as the earthy walls of the massive hole stood around them. The vegetation sank into their sight, as they rose higher. With the final flaps of Vigil's new wings, the pair rose, and emerged from the ruins, free of its grasp.

The sun beamed down upon them from above, and a light wind coursed through the air, as a vast forest stretched beneath them, rolling down the mountain, and into the distance.

Vigil glided on the currents, around the mountain, watching as the ruins entrance slipped into view. Crowds of people bustled below, unimportant to their flight of freedom high above. The world below was unimportant, and insignificant.

They drifted on the wind, free of their earthly burdens, and free of the shadow that loomed within the ruins. Vigil glanced back at the yellow mouse that slept content upon his back. He would take her to a medical facility, just as he had been in the past, but with the warm summer breeze, and the lake pulling into sight, he decided that he would let her stay, if just for the moment. They were carefree for the first time in their lives, and it was good.


End file.
